Recently a process has been disclosed (European Patent Application Number 94109734.7, Pub. No. 0631014) which allows the production of soft absorbent tissue structures without the use of traditional Yankee dryer creping. Sheets produced by this uncreped throughdried process can be characterized as being very three dimensional with high bulk, high absorbent capacity and fast absorbent rate. However, because of the high degree of surface contour, such sheets can also abrade the skin. In addition, while the high absorbent capacity and fast absorbent rate of sheets produced in this manner can be ideal for some absorbent products, soft tissues such as facial and bathroom tissue often find advantages in a more controlled, even slow, absorbent rate while maintaining high absorbent capacity.
While it is known to provide tissues with lotions that can improve softness, the addition of such materials can decrease the thickness of the tissue sheets due to a partial collapse of the crepe structure when exposed to moisture and processing pressures. Thus, there is first a need to reduce the potential for skin abrasion while not losing the thickness of uncreped throughdried tissues. Secondly there is a need to better control absorbent rate without losing the high absorbent capacity of these sheets.